178 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



POL 



A small genus of very handsome hardy her- 

 baceous plants, of easy culture and graceful 

 habit, not often seen in the borders, but deserv- 

 ing a place in every collection of hardy plants. 

 P. mufti/forum, a native of Great Britain, grows 

 from two to three feet high, and has a stout stem, 

 the lower part bare of leaves; the upper grace- 

 fully recurves, and produces from the axils of 

 its broad leaves numerous green and white 

 flowers, in clusters of two to four. P. gigan- 

 tenm, a native of the Western States, is a species 

 of similar habit, but with smaller flowers. They 

 thrive well in almost any soil or situation, but 

 prefer one that is shady and moist. They are 

 readily increased by root division or from seeds. 

 Polygonum. From poly, many, nnd gonu, a knee ; 

 referring to the numerous joints of the stem. 

 Linn. Oclandria-Trigynia. Nat. Ord. Polygona- 



A very extensive and widely-distributed genus 

 of hardy plants, nearly all of which may be prop- 

 erly classed as weeds. P. hydropiper is our well- 

 known Smart Weed. P. or'ientile is the Ragged 

 Sailor or Prince's Feather of the old gardens, 

 which has escaped from the garden in some 

 places and established itself in the fields. P. scan- 

 dens, a green-house variety, is exceedingly useful 

 as a basket plant. Propagated by cuttings and 

 from seeds. 



Polypodium. Polypody. From poly, many, and 

 )nin.f, a foot; referring to its numerous root-like 

 feet. Linn. Cryplogamia-Fdices. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 podiacece. 



An extensive and very interesting family of 

 Ferns, containing hardy and robust-growing spe- 

 cies, natives of our own woods. It also includes 

 some of the most delicate found in the moist 

 woods of the tropics, with others from every inter- 

 mediate clime. Among them are some very beau- 

 tiful species for green-house culture, as well as 

 for the shaded borders of the garden. They must 

 have plenty of water while growing, with a tern- I 

 perature proportionate to that of the country 

 from which they were obtained. Propagated by 

 division of root and by spores. 



Polypody. See Polypodium. 



Polysticnum. From pdy, many, and stichus, a 

 row; numerous rows of spore-cases. Linn. Oryp- 

 tognmia-Filir.es. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A genus of tropical Ferns, formerly included 

 in Atpidium, and requiring the same general 

 treatment. 



Pomegranate. See Punica granatum. 



Pond Lily. See Nymphtxa. 



Pontederia. Pickerel Weed. Named after J. 

 Poniedera, Professor of Botany at Padua. Linn. 

 Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Poniederiacerv. 

 A genus of native aquatic plants, common in 

 the borders of ponds or creeks. P. cordoto, our 

 common Pickerel Weed, is a beautiful plant, 

 with arrow-shaped leaves, producing in July 

 long spikes of intense blue flowers. This spe- 

 cies can be grown easily in tubs on the lawn, in 

 the same manner as the common Water Lily, 

 Nymphcea odorata. 



Poplar. See Populus. 



Poppy. See Papaver. 



Populus. Poplar. Some derive the word Popu- 

 lus from paipallo, to vibrate or shake; others 

 suppose it obtained its name from being used 

 in ancient times to decorate the public places in 

 Rome, where it was called Arbor Populi, or the 

 tree of the people. Linn. Duncia-Octandria. 

 Nat. Ord. SalioacecK. 

 A genus of deciduous trees that attain a con- 



POS 



siderable height, natives of temperate climates 

 of both hemispheres. They are mostly of rapid 

 growtii, furnishing timber of a soft, inferior 

 quality. Among the best known and most com- 

 monly grown for ornamental and shade trees 

 are P. fasligiata, the Lombardy Poplar; P. tremu- 

 loides, American Aspen; and P. balsamimferacan- 

 dicans, Balm of Gilead. Of this species there is 

 a very old specimen at Newburgh, N. Y., sup- 

 posed to be one of the largest in the United 

 States. It is a tree of magnificent proportions. 

 It is over one hundred years old, and the trunk 

 is nearly ten feet in diameter. It is one of the 

 attractions of that city. The Cotton- Wood of 

 the Middle and Southern States belongs to this 

 genus. 



Portlandia. Named after the Duchess of Portland, 

 a distinguished patroness of botany. Linn. Pen- 

 iandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Cinchonaceat. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen shrubs, 

 natives of the West Indies and Brazil. They are 

 rarely met in our green-honses, which is to be 

 regretted, as their flowers are splendid ; they are 

 long, pure white, trumpet-shaped, borne in ax- 

 illary clusters of from two to four each. P. pla- 

 tantha, a species of recent introduction from 

 Brazil, is of dwarf habit, and is nearly a constant 

 bloomer. They all require a warm house, and 

 are propagated by cuttings of young wood. In- 



Portulaca. From porto, to carry, and lac, milk; 

 juicy nature of the plants. Linn. Dodecandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Portulacacefn. 



An extensive genus of hardy annuals, mostly 

 natives of South America. Many of them are 

 exceedingly showy and usefiil plants for the bor- 

 der. The genus also contains some of our most 

 troublesome weeds, among which is P. oleracea, 

 common Purslane. P. grand/flora is the parent 

 of pur'many garden varieties. It is a native of 

 Chili, from whence it was introduced in 1827. 

 The double varieties are of German origin. We 

 quote from "Hovey's Magazine" an excellent 

 article on this plant: "The double varieties are, 

 in fact, charming objects, and may well claim a 

 prominent place among the novel things of re- 

 cent introduction. The flowers are perfectly 

 double, about the size of a silver dollar, and a 

 bed of them in full bloom presents a gay ap- 

 pearance, not unlike that of the beautiful Ranun- 

 culuses, or the little Burgundy Rose, so that the 

 Germans call them ' Port ulaca Roses.' The Por- 

 tulacas need a warm and rather light soil and a 

 dryish situation to flower well. They need not 

 be planted early, unless in a frame or hot-bed, 

 as the seed will not grow freely till the ground 

 is warm. About the middle of June the plants 

 begin to appear in the open ground, and grow 

 with great rapidity, soon covering a large bed, 

 and making a dazzling display with their many- 

 hued flowers from July to frost. The seeds saved 

 from double varieties, like all other double 

 flowers, cannot be relied upon with certainty 

 to produce all double flowers, but the largest 

 part of them will be double, and the single sorts 

 may be pulled up and thrown away or trans- 

 planted, unless it is desired to retain them in 

 the same bed with the double kinds." 



Posoqueria. Aymara posoqueri is the name of 

 P. tow? (flora among the natives of Guiana. 

 Linn. Pentundria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Cincho- 

 nacecp,. 



A small genus of shrubs or low-growing trees, 

 natives of the West Indies and Guiana. They 

 are remarkable for their very long, white, hang- 



